Sewing-machine attachment.



A. H. DE VUE. SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT.

4 APPLIUATION rILnn AUG. a1, 190s.

1,003,996. Patented sept.26,1911. l asnnnfrs-snnn'r 1.

WITNESSES I ,t 11 Q/ INVENTOH MV1/.fm

ATTORNEY A. H. DE VOB.

SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT.

uPLIoATIoNnLnn AUG. 21, laos.

Patented Sept 26, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTO? nutren stares Parana.' orurcn.

.ALBERT H. DE VOE, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 THE SINGER MANUf FACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEXV JERSEY.

SEWING-MACHINE ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 2.1., 1908.

Patented Sept. 26, 19211.

Serial No. 449,593.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. Dn Von, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machine Attachments, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improved mechanism for presenting and stitching binding upon the marginal portions of knitted garments and other articles, and it has for its object to provide means whereby the binding may be handled with facility and presented with precision, the binding guide being capable of withdrawal from operative po-sition transversely of the direction of feed, not only to permit the end of the binding to be cut and turned in preparatory to the completion of a seam, but to provide access to the loop-taker for threading and other purposes through an aperture provided beneath the same but'normally closed thereby.

The invention has for its further Object the provision of accessories whereby the binding may be applied smoothly and uniformly to the edge of the material.

rlhe sewing machine to which the binder is applied is preferably formed in its front portion at one side of the line of feed with a depression extending to its forward edge, the rearward wall of which, together' with the top of the cloth plate beyond the same being formed with an opening of which the top is covered by a slide-plate in conjunction with the binder carried thereby and movable thereon toward and from operative position transversely of the direction of feed respectively to afford access to the loop-taker operating beneath the same.

The binder is composed of overlapping independent sections capable of relative end- `wise adjustment,` and is mounted upon a sliding carrier pivotally connected with a swinging member fulcrumed upon an extension of the longitudinally movable workplate slide beneath the arm of the machine and maintained locked in its forward position by means of a spring' which is also adapted to retract the same into inoperative position upon the supporting slide-plate.

The machine is preferably provided with a special form of presser-foot having a primary pivotally mounted member notched to receive the forward or operative end of the binder and having rearward of the same an independently yielding heel portion adapted to bear upon the binding tape in the stitching operation while the primary foot portion beside the same applies the greater part ot' the pressure of the presser-bar spring upon the i'narginal portion of the work adjacent the edge of the binding tape.

The invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front. side elevation of a niaehine provided with the present improvement, and Fig. 9. a plan of the same with the bracket-arm relnoved to expose the parts beneath. Fig. 3 is a plan upon a larger scale of the binder and its carrier with the presserfoot. Fig. 4t is a perspective view of the binder with the forward portion partly in transverse section to expose the constructive features of certain parts. Fig. 5 is a perspective. view of the throat-plate of special form with the forward portion of the binder represented in dotted lines to indicate their relative operative positions. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the presser-foot partly in section, and Figs. 7 and 8 are elevations of the same in transverse section, respectively, through the sockets for the springs of the auxiliary and primary foot port-ions. Fig. 9 is a detail partial sectional elevation of the tape-guide and tension through which the binding tape is led to the folding gage.

The machine is constructed with the bed or base l, the overhanging bracket-arm 2 and the work-plate 3 formed beneath the bracket-arm and in front of the stitching point with a depression 4l: having 'its rearward wall cut away at 5 and its top cut away at 6 (as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2) to expose and provide access to the parts beneath. As will be seen from the drawings, the body of the work-plate 3 is at the left hand end and the rear of the machine substantially flush with the throatplate 5S which supports the work at the stitching point, the depression 4L being of rectangular form and extending along the front edge of the work-plate at the right of the tl'iroat-plate and some distance forward of the stitching position as indicated by the needle-aperture of the throat-plate; one of its principal objects being to provide easy access to the binder located upon the body of the work-plate rearward of said depression for the hands of the operator. The portion of the work-plate adjacent the upright portion of the bracket-arm is offset below the operative portion, and is flush with the bottom of the depression 4.

The needle actuating rock-shaft is mounted within the bracket-arm 2 and provided at its forward end with operative connections with the needle-bar 8 carrying the needle 9, and is operatively connected at its rear end with a crank 10 of the main-shaft 11 journaled in the bed beneath the workplate and operatively connected at its forward end with the looper 12 coperating with the needle in the production of double chain stitches. The lat-eral aperture 5 and top aperture 6 of the work-plate permit easy inspection and access for threadingthe looper 12 and adjustment of other operative parts adjacent t-he same which are not shown herein as they form no part of the present invention.

The top of the raised portion of the workplate is provided along its opposite edges with a guideway 13 to which are fitted the opposite beveled edges 14 of the work-plate slide 15 which is cut away along one side from the beveled edge 15X forwardly. Upon the opposite margin of the slide-plate is secured by means of fastening screws 16 the fulcrum-plate 17 provided with a set-screw 18 adapted to pass through the same and engage the top of the work-plate 3, and having the fulcrum-screw 19 entering an aperture in one end of a swinging link 20 whose opposite end is pivotally connected by means of the stud-screw 21 with a carrier slideplate 22 normally resting upon the slide 15 and provided upon one edge with a lug 23 adapted to enter and engage the lateral recess 24 or the notch 25 in the edge of the fulcrumplate 17. The link 20, adjacent the pivotal screw 21, is provided with a cam projection 26 against one edge of which rests the outer end of a wire spring 27 whose shank portion enters a groove in the bottom of a block 28 secured upon the top of the carrier-plate by means of screws 29. The plate 22 is provided with a rearward extension 30 having an upwardly extending handle 31 by means of which, when in the position represented in Figs. 3 and 4, the carrier-plate may be tilted horizontally upon the stud-screw 21 to disengage the lug 23 from the recess 24, when the action of the spring 27 upon the cam projection 26 of the swinging member 20 causes the latter to swing backwardly around the fulcrum-stud 19 as a pivot and the lug 23 to be maintained in contact with the adjacent edge of the fulcrum-plate 17 so as to enter the inclined portion 25X of the notch 25 and finally engage the abruptv shoulder at the rearward side of said notch to serve as a stop to limit the retractive movement of the carrier-plate.

The binder is formed in two overlapping sections, the upper of which comprises a block 32 with rounded outer edge portion and spaced sheet metal plate 33 similarly shaped to form the semi-tubular binding passage 34, a notch being formed at 35 for access to the body of the binding in threading or for other purposes. The top section of the binder is provided with alined longitudinal slots 36 entered by fastening screws 37 tapped into the lower section, which is similarly constructed of a block 38 and spaced curved plate 39 to form the complemental binding passage 34X and similarly provided with a lateral notch for access to the binder. The members 32 and 38 are transversely notched in their forward ends and both sections are cut away diagonally in the same portion to provide the usual means for reversing the binding tape and admitting within the same the margin of the work to which the binding is to be attached; and the forward extremity of each of these members is provided with an inturned guiding lip 40 to receive and properly direct the 'edges of the binding tape as it is applied to the opposite faces of the fabric. As will be observed, the loosening of the screws 37 permits the. endwise adjustment of the upper binder section upon the lower section, whereby the relation of the guide-lips 40 is adjusted to determine the overlap of the edges of the binding tape upon the opposite sides of the material. rEhe lower member 38 of the binder is provided with a laterally projecting flange 41 which rests upon the top of the carrier-plate 22 and is secured thereon by means of screws 42 passing through a longitudinal slot 43 therein and a similar slot 44 in a superposed attachment plate 45 for securing both adjustably upon the carrier-plate 22. The rearward portion of the plate 45 has a slight upward inclination and has secured to its under side by means of the fastening screws 46 one edge of a block 47 having a reduced and rounded opposite edge 48 upon which is secured, by solder or other suitable means, the arched or U-shaped tubular forward end of the tape guide 49 which is gradually flattened out and turned backwardly at the `opposite end 49X where it presents a flat orifice to receive the binding tape. r1`he curved rearward portion of the tape-guide is provided with a lateral aperture 50 for access in threading the tape. As will be observed, the forward rounded edge of the block 48 registers substantially with the inner portion or arbor of the binder of which it forms substantially a continuation.

As represented in Figs. 1, 2 and 9, the under side of the work-plate has secured to it by means of-the fastening screw 51 the foot 52 of a split socket 53 provided with the clamp-screws 54, which socket is entered, through a hole in the work-plate registering therewith, by the cylindrical shank 55 of an adjustable guiding and tension device for the tape comprising a cross-bar 56 and two parallel rods 57.

As indicated in Fig. 2, the binding tape t is led from the source of supply around one of the guide-rods 57, thence around the oppositeside of the other guide-rod and into the mouth or receiving orifice of the tape-guide 49 through 'which it is led into the rearward end of the binder proper, at the forward end of which it is turned crosswise into the direction of feed in a well` known manner, its edges resting in contact with the guide-lips 40 of the binder. By suitably loosening the clamp-screws 54, the guide-rods 57 of the tension device may be turned to any desired angular relation with the receiving orifice of the tape-guide 49, and this tension device may be also raised and lowered to accommodate bindings and guides therefor of different widths, as also to aecommodate the larger binders requiring attachment to the lower or depressed portion of the work-plate as represented in the United States Patent No. 866,006, of September 17,

l orifice of the folding guide 49 should be direct and at the same level. In Fig. 1 the guiding member 56 of the tension device is shown lowered for purposes of clearer illustration, but in practice the top of the same is adjusted to substantially the level of the lower edge of the guiding member 49.

The throat-plate 58 is provided with the usual feed-dog openings 59 to receive the forward and rearward feed-dogs 60 and 61 (which are in the machine herein represented independently mounted and actuated) and is provided with the needle-hole 62 and the adjacent lateral recess 63 in advance of the needle-hole and extending crosswise of the throat-plate upon one side of the forward feed-dog aperture 59, the latter being provided to receive the lower portion of the binder whose upper face is substantially flush with the top of the throat-plate.

The machine is provided with the usual spring-actuated presserdoar 64 to the lower end of which is secured by the usual means the vertically slotted presserfoot shank 65 provided in its lower face with a depending and forwardly extending tongue 66.

IThe primary foot-piece 67 is provided in `its contracted upper face with channel 68 fitted to the sides of the tongue 66 and pivotally connected thereto by means of a transverse pin 69 upon which it is adapted to have a slight rocking` motion, suitable clearance being provided therefor in the channel 68. The foot-piece 67 is extended laterally at 70 in front of the needle and adjacent the forward or operative end of the binder and serves to smooth the fabric in advance of the latter.

The presser-foot shank 65 is provided with a vertical countersink 71 in register with its slot embracing the presser-bar, in the bottom of which is normally seated the bead of the shouldered screw 72 tapped into the auxiliary foot-piece 78 at one side of the primary foot-piece 67 and provided with a dowel pin 74 entering a vertical aperture 75 in the shank 65. A spring 76 is interposed between the top of the foot-piece 73 and the upper end of a socket 77 in the bottom of the shank 65 for maintaining the foot-piece 7 8 yieldingly in its lower position with the head of the screw 72 resting upon its seat 1n the counterslnk 71.

The forward portion of the auxiliary foot-piece 73 is provided close to its innerV edge with a needle-hole 78 in alinement with the pivotal pin 69 and formed with a rearward drift 79 to accommodate the thread-loops in the production of the chainstitch seam. As will be observed, the member 73 is disposed rearward of the offset presser-foot portion 70, and of the forward or operative end of the binder, whereby it is caused to press upon the binding` tape only with a presssure determined by the strength of the spring 76. The sectional pressure-plate composed of the presser-foot members 67 and 73 is thus formed with a lateral notch extending across the stitch-line and adapted to receive the delivery end of the binder in advance of the needle. The member 7 3 having the needle aperture 78 lies mainly at the side of the needle occupied by the body of the binder, and that portion of the member 67 rearward of the delivery end of the binder, and rearward of the needle, lies at the opposite side of the needle and wholly beyond the delivery end of the binder relatively to the direction of feed.

las before indicated, in the present ma-V chine the forward and rearward feed-dog 60 and 61 are independently actuated, the former having a longer operative movement than the latter to enable it to crowd the work beneath the stitch-forming mechanism to avoid the distention of knitted or other elastic material for which the present machine is particularly designed. 'lo insure the secure engagement of the forward feed-clog with the work in such crowding action, the toe portion of the primary foot section 67 is pressed downwardly by means of a spring 80 interposed between the toe portion of such pivotally mounted section and the inner end of a socket 81 provided therefor in the bottom of the tongue 66.

1n the operation of the machine, the binder is first threaded as before described while the binding tape guide and folder are in retracted position as represented in Figs.

1 and 2. The presser-foot is then raised for i introduction of the margin of the material to be bound and the handle 31 shifted tov -under the action of the spring 27 as before explained. The substantial parallelism of the binder with its initial position is thus maintained, whereby the binding continues in substantially its initial relation with the binder in both the extreme positions of, the

.latter so that it has no tendency to become untlireaded as would be the case were the binder shifted to and from operative position in different angular relations with the stitch line. The presser-foot having been I lowered upon the goods with the body of the primary member at one side of the needlepath upon the margin of the material adjacent that to be covered by the binding and the auxiliary presser-foot member 73 resting upon the margin of the material to receive the binding, the machine is then started and the binding stitched in place until the end of the same is reached, when the binder is retracted and the shears introduced between the same and the presser-foot, and within the clearance apertures 5 and 6 to ciip the binding, after which the saine is finished in the usual manner.

ln the stitching of certain articles and particularly those of circular form having a continuous edge, the stitching and binding proceeds until the initial end of the bindin'g is reached, when the binder may be retracted and the binding severed as before described, and the end of the binding attached to the material turned under to form a finished end preparatory to the completion of the operation while the binder is withdrawn from operative position.

Although t-lie so-called fulcruin-plate 17 is represented herein as a separate member.

from the slide-plate l5, it will be seen that these parts together constitute a removable attachment-supporting plate upon which the carrier is slidingly mounted to move in contact with a shoulder provided with the locking notches 24 and 25.

Vhile 1 have shown and described herein a preferable embodiment of the present im-r rconditions without departure from the scope of the invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein iszl. A sewing machine attachment comprising a supporting plate, a carrier mounted thereon and movable both longitudinally and laterally in relation to the stitch line, a binder fixed upon said carrier, locking means intermediate said carrier and support-ing plate, a swinging connection between said carrier and supporting plate for controlling the movement of the former between extreine positions, and means for maintaining the carrier in substantially the same angular relation with the stitch-line when passing from one to the other extreme position.

2. A sewing machine attachment comprising a supporting plate, a `carrier mounted thereon and movable both longitudinally and laterally in relation to the stitch line, a binder fixed upon said carrier, locking means intermediate said carrier and supporting plate, a movable connection between said carrier and supporting plate for controlling the movement of the former between extreme positions, and a longitudinal guide-shoulder coperating with said movable connection in maintaining the carrier in substantially the same angular relation with the stitch-line when passing between extreme positions.

3. A sewing machine attachment comprising a supporting plate, a carrier movably mounted thereon, a binde-r fixed upon said carrier, locking means intermediate said carrier and supporting plate, and .a swinging member fulcruined upon the supporting plate and pivotally connected with said carrier for controlling the movement of the latter to and from operative position.

et. A sewing machine attachment comprising a supporting plate, a carrier movably mounted thereon, a binder fixed upon said carrier, locking means intermediate said carrier and supporting plate, a swinging member fulcruined upon the supporting plate and pivotally connected with said carrier for controlling the movement of the latter to and from operative position, and a spring interposed between said member and the carrier tending to throw the latter into retracted or inoperative position and to maintain the saine locked in either extreme position.

5. A sewing machine attachment comprising a supporting plate formed with a longitudinal shoulder with lateral notches, a carrier movably mounted upon said plate and having a lateral lug or tooth adapted to enter the notches therein in different positions of the carrier, and a swinging member fulcruined upon the supporting plate and pivotally connected with said carrier for controlling the movement of the latter to and from operative position and directing the entrance of said lug or tooth into the respective notches in extreme positions of the carrier.

6. A sewing machine attachment comprising a supporting plate formed with a longitudinal shoulder with lateral notches, a carrier mo 7ably mounted upon said plate and having a lateral lug or tooth adapted to enter the notchesI therein in different positions of the carrier, a swinging link fulcrumed upon the supporting plate and pivotally connected with said carrier and provided adjacent its pivotal connection with a lateral projection, and a spring having one end attached to said carrier with its other end bearing upon the projection of said link whereby said tooth is normally pressed against said shoulder or caused to enter one of the notches therein.

7 A sewing machine attachment comprising a supporting plate, a carrier endwise and sidewise movable thereon, a binder fixed upon said carrier, a movable connection between said carrier and supporting plate to which said carrier is pivotally connected whereby its movement between eX- treme positions is controlled, and locking means comprising inter-engaging members upon said carrier and supporting plate and adapted for disengagement by the tilting ot' said carrier preparatory to movement from one to the other eXtreme position.

S. A sewing machine attachment comprising a supporting plate, a carrier movably mounted thereon, a binder mounted upon said carrier and constructed of two overlying sections each formed with its respective part of a semi-tubular guiding channel with a transversely notched or recessed forward portion to admit the material to be bound, means for securing one of said sections adjustably endwise in relation to the other section, and a connection between said carrier and supporting plate whereby the binder is adapted to be shifted endwise into and out of operative position.

9. A sewing machine attachment comprising a supportingplate, a carrier movably mounted thereon, a binder mounted upon said carrier and constructed of two overlying sections each formed with its respective part of a semi-tubular guiding channel with a transversely notched or recessed forward end portion provided at the extremities with inturned guide-lips, means for securing one of said sections adjustably end- -wise in relation to the other section, and a connection between said carrier and supporting plate whereby the binder is adapted to be shifted endwise into and out of operative position.

10. A sewing machine attachment comprising a supporting plate, a carrier movably mounted thereon, a binder fixed upon said carrier, a tape-folding guide also mounted upon said carrier in alinement with the binder, and having flattened inlet orifice and arched delivery orifice, a swinging member pivotally attached to and affording a connection between said carrier and supporting plate whereby the binder and tapef'olding guide are adapted to be shifted endwise into and out of operative position.

11.. A sewing machine attachment comprising a supporting plate, a carrier movably mounted thereon, a binder and a tapefolding guide mounted upon said carrier, means for seeming said tape-folding guide for adjustment upon said carrier toward and from said binder, and a connection between said carrier and supporting plate whereby the binder and tape-folding guide are adapted to be shifted endwise into and out of operative position.

12. The combination with a sewing machine work-plate, of a binder and tape-folding guide mounted thereon, and a circular-ly adjustable tape tension device also mounted upon said work-plate and comprising operative tape-engaging members disposed parallel with and at opposite sides of the axis of circular adjustment, and thus adjustable relatively to said axis and to the said guide.

13. The combination with a sewing machine work-plate constructed with supporting members at different levels for binders of different sizes, of a binder removably attached to one of said supporting members, and a tape tension device mounted upon said work-plate and comprising a tape-edge supporting member and tension members, and means whereby said tension device may be adjusted toward and from the work-plate to conform with the binder thereon.

lll. The combination with a sewing machine work-plate constructed with supporting members at different levels for binders of' different size, of a binder removably attached to one of said supporting members, a tape tension device provided with a cylindrical shank, a split socket mounted upon said wor -plate and entered by the shank of said tape tension device, and clampscrews for securing said shank adjustably within the socket.

15. A sewing machine comprising stitchforming mechanism, including a looper, a work-plate formed with a depression along the forward edge and having apertures in the side and top of the adjacent portion rearward thereof, a slide-plate fitted to said work-plate over the top opening therein, and a binder mounted upon said slide-plate and serving, with said slide-plate, to cover said top opening.

1G. A sewing machine comprising stitchforming mechanism, a work-plate formed with a depression along the forward edge and having apertures in the side and top of the adjacent portion rearward thereof, a slide-plate fitted to said work-plate over the top opening therein, a carrier movably mounted upon said slide-plate, a binder fixed upon said carrier, and a connection between said carrier and slide-plate whereby the binder is adapted to be shifted endwise into and out of operative position.

17. A sewing machine comprising stitchforming and feeding mechanisms, a binder disposed crosswise of the direction of feed and having its operative end arranged in advance of the stitch-forming mechanism, and a presser-foot constructed with a laterally notched pressure-plate comprising a primary section arranged at the side of the stitching line opposite the binder and with its forward portion in alinement with said binder and an independently mounted bodily-yielding spring-pressed section disposed in alinement with the stitch-forming mechanism and extending' laterally upon the opposite side of the stitch line, and arranged wholly rearward of the delivery portion of said binder.

18. A sewing machine comprising stitchforming and feeding mechanisms, a binder disposed crosswise of the direction of feed and having its operative end arranged in advance of the stitch-forming mechanism, and a presser-foot constructed with a primary section arranged mainly at the side of the stitch line opposite the binder and having a lateral projection across the stitch-line in advance of the binder and an independently mounted spring-pressed section disposed in Lalinement lwith the stitch-forming and feeding mechanisms and extending laterally upon the side of the stitch line opposite that occupied mainly by the primary presser-foot section.

19. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocating needle and feeding mechanism including a feed-dog having workengaging portions arranged at opposite sides of the needle, of a binder arranged crosswise of the direction of feed and mainly at one side of the needle with its delivery end normally extending in front of the needle,

and a presser-foot comprising a shank and independent work-engaging sections arranged side-by-side and overlying the feeddog, one of said sections being yieldingly connected with the presser-foot shank and lying mainly at the same side of the needle occupied by the body of the binder, and the other of said sections having an unyielding connection with said shank and being disposed at the opposite side of the needle portion and provided near the edge adjacent the other section with a needle hole, and thev other section being provided with a lateral extension in advance of lthe first-mentioned section, and a binding guide with its operative or delivery end portion shaped to enter the lateral recess or notch thus formed between the sections of said presser-foot.

2l. A sewing machine attachment comprising a presser-foot composed of a shankportion having" a depending and forwardly extending tongue, a primary foot section channeled in its upper end to receive said tongue and pivotally connected therewith, a spring` interposed between said tongue and the bottom of the channed in advance of said pivotal connection, a second bodily-yielding foot section disposed at the side of the primary section and connected with said shank portion independently of the primary sec-` tion, and a binder disposed transversely of said presser-foot and having -its operative or delivery end portion arranged in advance of said bodily-yielding foot section.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this speciiication, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT H. DE VOE. Witnesses H. d. MILLER, J. F. JAQUITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

